I Dedicate
by LordsBecca
Summary: James and Lily forever...shown through a song. It's "This I Promise You" but you don't have to be an NSync fan to enjoy. *PG-13 for language and violence*


TITLE: I Dedicate  
AUTHOR: Becca  
E-MAIL: lordsbecca@yahoo.com  
RATING: PG-13 (Language, Voldemort Killings)  
CATEGORY: JLR/Song Fic  
ARCHIVE: Sure, just drop me a line!  
  
SUMMARY: A song fic for "This I Promise You". It's a James/Lily...::sigh:: Just imagine James dedicating this song to Lily...::sigh:: This is beginning in James and Lily's fifth year in Hogwarts.  
  
**DISCLAIMER: James is cool, Lily is too. But I don't own, so you can't sue! And I don't own the song, either. It was preformed by *//\\//sync, and written by Richard Marx. Thank you, guys! Please don't sue me!  
  
^*^*^  
  
When the visions around you  
Bring tears to your eyes...  
  
Lily ran off the Hogwarts Express, and found her parents waiting for her. She hugged them, and couldn't wait to tell them the news. She was grinning from ear-to-ear, and her stomach was fluttering like butterflies.  
  
"Oh, daddy! Mummy! Guess what?!"  
  
Her father and mother smiled at her, and in unison asked, "What dear?"  
  
Lily began to dance with energy. "Remember how I told you about that total cutie, James Potter?"  
  
Her parents nodded patiently.   
  
Lily squealed with happiness. "He asked me out!" she screamed, and continued to dance. She saw her sister glaring at her with pure hatred. Petunia had never had a boyfriend in her life, while James was Lily's fourth.  
  
James walked up the family and stood next to Lily. "Uh, I'll see you next year."  
  
Lily giggled. "Yeah. Send me an owl!"  
  
James smiled. "Of course. You can count on it." He smiled at the family, and walked off.  
  
Lily and her family got into their car, and had a nice, relaxing talk home.   
  
Unfortunately, home wasn't so nice and relaxing.  
  
When they arrived home, Lily gasped.   
  
"Mummy! Don't go in the house!"  
  
Her mother laughed. "Oh Lily. What is it this time?"  
  
Lily began to cry. "Mum, don't go in! Daddy, do let her go in! Petunia! Petunia please, stay OUT!"  
  
Lily's mother and father didn't listen. They walked inside. Petunia, on the other hand, stood outside with Lily.  
  
"I'm going to kill you, witch girl. You're a freak of nature, you know that? I HATE YOU!"  
  
Lily sobbed more. "Petunia, please...mummy and daddy..."  
  
A green light flashed through the house, and a high laugh rang through the air.  
  
And the Dark Mark appeared over their house.  
  
Lily weeped harder at the sight of the mark...her parents...they were dead.  
  
Petunia screamed. "MUM! DAD!" She turned to Lily. "What the HELL did you do to them? You little bitch! Your kind killed them! You hear me? They KILLED THEM!" She ran inside. Lily followed.  
  
The two ran through the room until they found their parents, sprawled across the floor. Lily sobbed, and ran to her room. Petunia just cursed at the wizard who had done it.  
  
Voldemort.  
  
Lily pulled paper and a pen out of her desk, and wrote a hasty note to James.  
__  
  
James,  
  
You-Know-Who got my parents. Please, I need someone to talk to. Petunia doesn't understand. I don't know who to turn to. Please, meet me at Diagon Ally next week. I need to see you.  
  
Love,  
Lily  
__  
  
She whistled, and her owl flew up to her window. She tied the letter to his leg, and said, "To James Potter."  
  
^*^*^  
  
The next week, Lily walked along Diagon Ally, looking for James. When she did find him, she began to cry, remembering why they were even here.   
  
He ran to her, held her in his arms. He stroked her hair, and whispered, "It's okay. It'll be okay. I promise, everything will be okay."  
  
And all that surround you  
Are secrets and lies...  
  
While James held Lily, a boy walked up to them and sneered.   
  
"What happened, Lily? Break a nail?"  
  
James let go of Lily and clenched his fists. "One more word Snape, and you're mine. You're little, er, gang-bang killed Lily's parents. Innocent Muggles, Snape. And your people killed them."  
  
Snape laughed. "Yes well, that makes an even 1,000 Muggles down, just 4 billion more to go, eh Lily?" He laughed harder.  
  
James threw a punch, and Snape landed on the ground with a bloody lip.  
  
But Snape just laughed.   
  
"YOU'RE NEXT, LILY! YOU, AND YOUR SISTER, AND YOUR FRIENDS! YOU'RE NEXT, MUDBLOOD!" And he stood and ran, laughing.  
  
James turned back to Lily, whose eyes were redder then her hair. "I'm sorry, Lil. But, it's gonna be okay. You'll see."  
  
"I hope so, James," Lily sniffed. "I hope so."  
  
I'll be your strength  
I'll give you hope  
Keeping your faith when it's gone  
The one you should call  
Was standing here all along...  
  
James rubbed Lily's head and said, "Now now, no more tears. We're gonna go have fun. You know, let's go to the Leaky Cauldron for shits and giggles."  
  
Lily forced a laugh. "Well, okay." She walked with James to the Leaky Cauldron, where they sat and talked.  
  
"How's Petunia holding up?" asked James.  
  
Lily sighed. "She swears it's my fault. She thinks I told He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to do it. It's so depressing. She's running around like a lunatic saying that all witches and wizards 'suck ass', and should 'rot in hell'. It's awful, James. I can't stand it anymore. But what am I supposed to do? Go up to You-Know-Who and say, 'Please sir, can I have my parents back?' I don't think so!" Lily sighed. "I'm sorry James. It's just...I don't know what to do about her. Am I supposed to live with her, alone now? I can't! She'll kill me! But where am I supposed to go? I can't go anywhere..."  
  
James held Lily's hand. "I was actually thinking about that, and was talking with my parents...they said you could stay with us for a bit, until you can find a place."  
  
Lily looked at James. "You-You can't be serious!" she stuttered. "But, I mean, don't you have Sirius staying at your place? Oh no, James. I couldn't!"  
  
And I will take you in my arms  
And hold you right where you belong  
'Til the day my life is through  
This I promise you  
This I promise you  
  
"I insist."  
  
"Oh, James!" Lily flung her arms around James' neck and held him tight. "Thank you! Oh, you're wonderful!"  
  
James blushed. "You're welcome." He wrapped his arms around Lily's waist, and held her close. And he was at peace.  
  
^*^*^  
  
I've loved you forever  
In lifetimes before  
And I promise you never  
Will you hurt anymore...  
  
James pulled the large trunk holding Lily's things into the living room. Lily ran to James' parents, and hugged them.  
  
"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I never excepted this! This is so wonderful and kind...thank you."  
  
Mr. Potter smiled. "It's our pleasure, Lily. We've been taking in people whose family has been victims of You-Know-Who since James was a baby." He placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. "It's an awful thing, and we will help you any way we can."  
  
Mrs. Potter nodded in agreement. "Oh yes, dear." She giggled and whispered, "Besides, James just likes you so much, we just had to meet the girl who's kept his spirits high for so long. Ever since he met you, he's happy, and a joy to be around for the first time in five years!"  
  
Lily laughed and blushed. "Well, you have a fantastic son. I'm just so thankful my parents met him before they died." She sighed. "But enough of that talk. Where will I be staying?"  
  
Someone covered Lily's eyes with their hand, and said from behind her, "Guess who!"  
  
Lily laughed again. "Sirius!" She turned around and gave her friend a hug.   
  
"Uh-oh," Sirius said. "Lily, don't tell James! He'd kill me if the thought you were cheating on him...."  
  
James walked up to Lily and Sirius and pulled them apart. "Trying to steal my job, Sirius?"   
  
"See!" Sirius laughed. "I told you. Once again, Padfoot is right..."  
  
Lily sighed. "Why is it that his name is nothing like his personality?"  
  
^*^*^   
  
I give you my word  
I give you my heart  
This is a battle we've won...  
  
Lily rolled over in her bed. What is that noise? she asked herself, as she pulled herself out of bed and put on a robe. The noise was coming from downstairs, and was quite loud.   
  
CRASH!  
  
The sound grew the closer Lily got to the stairwell.   
  
And suddenly, she saw it...  
  
Voldemort.  
  
She knew not to scream, it would only attract him to her. She ran to James' room. She had to warn him. They could escape together. She opened the door to his room.  
  
He wasn't there.  
  
Lily gasped, and clenched her stomach. This can't be happening! She cried inside. James can't be gone. He's here. I just need to find him.  
  
She ran out of the room and into Sirius' room. He had woken up, and was prepared to fight with Voldemort.   
  
"Sirius!" Lily whispered in an intense voice. "You can't be serious. You can't go fight him! He'll kill you!"  
  
Sirius pushed her aside to get to the door. "I have to get him back. He killed your parents, Lil. I'm going to get him back."  
  
"No! Sirius, please, I lost my parents and James...I'm not going to lose my best friend too!"  
  
Sirius looked at Lily with alarm. "He...he got James? But James is smarter then to...oh, Lily..." Sirius saw Lily's tears form and held her. "Do you know for sure that he's gone?"  
  
Lily shook her head and pulled away from Sirius. "He wasn't in his room. I thought...oh Sirius! What are we going to do? We have to get out of here. I refuse to give that bastard the satisfaction of killing the whole house. Please Sirius, just run with me." She looked into Sirius' eyes. "Just run."  
  
The door swung open.  
  
Lily screamed, and Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it at the figure in the doorway.  
  
"Whoa! Guys, it's me."   
  
It was James.  
  
Lily cried more. "Oh James! I thought...we thought...oh, but you're all right!" She ran to James and held him.   
  
"Lily, there's no time...we have to get out now. My parents..." His voice choked up and he couldn't continue on.   
  
Sirius nodded-he understood. "Let's go, out the window. I found a ladder in the closet."  
  
Lily forced a laugh to lighten the mood. "You can't be serious, Sirius."  
  
"I am."  
Lily shrugged and whipped her eyes. She helped Sirius stick it out the window and lower it to the ground.   
  
"I'll go down first," James offered. "I can check to see if the ladder's safe, can if He's around the windows or outside."  
  
James squeezed out of the window and standing on the fifth to the top bar, beckoned Lily over. She walked over. "Just in case," he whispered to her, and planted a kiss on her lips. It was their first kiss. Lily whimpered, and said,   
  
"I love you, James."  
  
"Ditto," James said, walking carefully down the ladder.  
  
When he landed on the ground, he pulled out his wand, and looked around. Once he had checked around the windows, and corners, he waved to Sirius and Lily.  
  
"Lily, you go next," said Sirius. He helped Lily out the window, and held the ladder at the top, while James held it at the bottom. Sirius' breathing was heavy, and his hands shook, afraid that in a second Voldemort would break through the bedroom door and kill them all.  
  
"I'm down!" called Lily. Sirius got on the ladder and began to climb down.   
  
BANG! The door sung open.   
  
Voldemort.   
  
Sirius' eyes widened with fear, but he kept climbing down, and when he got half way, he jumped, and began to run.  
  
"Come ON!" He yelled to his friends, demanding them to run. "It's You-Know-Who! He's here!"  
  
Lily and James looked up to the window to see Voldemort grinning down at them with a raised wand.  
  
James pushed Lily to get her going, and they ran. They ran, and they ran, and they ran.  
  
Back at the house, Wormtail met with his master.  
  
"Master, why not kill them now?"  
  
Voldemort laughed. "I don't have to now. I'll have so many more chances...."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
^*^*^Five Years Later^*^*^  
  
And with this vow  
Forever has now begun...  
  
  
She washed her hair and put on her eye-liner. Her tightest and best was on, and she had worn his favorite perfume.   
  
She was ready.  
  
"Rose! Sweetie, I'm ready!" she called to her roommate.   
  
Roseann came out of the kitchen and looked at her friend. "Oh hun, you look gorgeous." She walked around the red-head, inspecting every inch of the short, knee-length silver dress. "It's perfect," Rose said, satisfied with the way Lily looked. "It's absolutely perfect. If his eyes don't bug out, and if he doesn't start to drool, I'll kill him!"  
  
Lily laughed. "Oh, Rose. Are you going to be okay here? I mean, you will be alone and everything." Lily bit her lip. "Oh, please let me call Remus. He'd be here in a minute. Or Sirius. Or both! I just would feel better if you were with someone, Rose."  
  
Roseann put her hands on Lily's shoulders. "I'm not two years old, Lil. I can take care of myself. I'll be fine! Now you go out and have a good time! Don't worry about little-old me!" She hugged Lily. "This is a big night for you, sweetie. Don't blow it by worrying about anything!"  
  
Lily and Rose let go of each other, and Lily opened the door. "Rose?" she said. "Please be careful. And if anything happens, call Remus. He likes you-he'll be here in a second."  
  
Rose smiled. "Okay sweetie, I promise. Now go!"  
  
Lily walked out the door and saw James waiting for her outside, at the end of the driveway. There was a red Porsche behind him-borrowed from a Muggle friend, no doubt.   
  
Lily walked up the driveway until she reached James. He kissed her on the cheek, opened the car door, and she slid in. James then got into the car and they drove away.  
  
"James?" asked Lily. "Where are we going?"  
  
James didn't say anything, but his smile widened.   
  
"James Potter! Where are we going? I demand an answer!" perused Lily.  
  
James laughed. "Give it up, Lil. I ain't gonna tell you! It's a surprise."  
  
They drove.  
  
And drove.   
  
And drove.  
  
James parked the car, and said, "Lily, close your eyes."  
  
Lily cocked her head questionably, but closed her eyes anyway. James led her out of the car, and took her down a long path.   
  
"Take off your shoes," James ordered once at the end of the path.  
  
"Why?" asked Lily.  
  
James smiled. "Trust me."  
  
Lily slipped her summer sandals off and took a step. The ground was so soft, not grassy, and not bumpy. It sank under her weight, and curled up around her foot.  
  
"SAND!" she cried, opening her eyes to the beauty of a sunset over a calm, deserted beach.   
  
"I remember how you said you've never been to the beach," James whispered. "I thought this would be a nice five year anniversary gift." James sighed, and smiled. "Can you believe it? We've been dating non-stop for five years!"  
  
Lily frowned. "You're dumping me, aren't you?" She began to cry. "Oh James! I can't believe-"  
  
"No!" James waved his hands to cut off Lily. "No, Lil. I'm not dumping you. Actually, it's the exact opposite."  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow and wiped a tear. "What?"  
  
James fell to one knee, and held up a small, velvet box. He opened it, showing a gold band, with a tiny, white diamond. James began to sweat. "Lily, will you marry me?"  
  
Lily squealed. "You're kidding, right? Another one of your jokes?"  
  
James stood and shook his head. "I want to be with you the rest of my life. I love you, Lily."  
  
Lily's hands shook as she took the box, and stared at James. She began to cry, saying, "James! That's the first time you ever...oh James! You've never said that to me before! You-you just said you-"  
  
"-Yes, Lily. I love you."  
  
"Oh James!" She flung her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Oh James, yes! Yes! I will marry you!"  
  
James' head was spinning. She had said yes!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
^*^*^ One Year Later^*^*^  
  
  
Just close your eyes  
Each lovin' day  
And know this feeling won't go away  
'Til the day my life is through  
This I promise you  
This I promise you  
  
"Push, Lily! You have to push!"  
  
Lily Potter closed her eyes and pushed as hard as she possibly could. She grabbed James' hand, and squeezed it until he cried out, saying he was in pain.   
  
"You're in pain?!" Lily screamed, red in the face. "You did this to me! You will pay!"   
  
James bit his lip. "Uh-oh, that does sound good!" he said to the nurse next to him.  
  
"Don't worry, Mr. Potter," the nurse smiled. "All women in labor say that. Give her a few minutes after the baby is born-she'll be thanking you!"  
  
Harry was born. I held my son, and cried. Lily held her son, and cried. And we knew things wouldn't be the same...ever.  
  
Over and over I fall  
When I hear you call  
Without you in my life, baby  
I just wouldn't be living at all  
  
"JAMES!" Lily screamed, waking James up. "Harry's crying again. It's your turn to get him to sleep."  
  
"Isn't he hungry?" he whined, feeling for my slippers.   
  
Lily shook her head wearily. "No, I fed him a half hour ago. Just go check on him. Maybe he needs a dipper change...I don't know! I'm not his moth-oh wait, I am."  
  
Nearly tripping over himself as he walked out of the room, James slowly opened the door next to his. It was his son's room-Harry's room. The crying was horrendous...louder then anything he had ever heard. How can something so small make so much frikin' noise? James asked himself as he picked his little boy up.   
  
Harry stopped crying.  
  
James smiled and rocked his baby in his arms. " 'Atta boy," he whispered.  
  
BANG!  
  
The door to the house opened, and in stepped Voldemort, grinning like a snake. He didn't intend to surprise the Potters, they would be fun to struggle with. But, like all the others, they too would fall.   
  
And I will take you in my arms  
And hold you right where you belong  
'Til the day my life is through  
This I promise you, baby  
  
Lily yelled out to James. "James, James, bring me my boy! I want to see my boy before..."  
  
"NO!" James screamed. "You are not going to die, Lily. I won't let you. Harry and I need you....can't let him do this to our family." He brought Harry into the bedroom where Lily was. "Just hold him. Don't worry Lily, everything will be all right." He placed a firm kiss on her lips and rubbed his boy's head. Then he grabbed his wand, and....  
  
Voldemort laughed when James ran out to him with his wand raised. "You are too funny, Mr. Potter! Too bad you don't have the same quality of intelligence."  
  
"IMPERIO!" screamed James.  
  
Voldemort just laughed again. "You little fool. You thought you could defeat the most powerful being on earth?!" Voldemort raises his wand in one hand, and waved with his other. "Good-bye Mr. Potter. Had fun while it lasted! AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
James dropped dead.  
  
Just close your eyes each loving day  
And know this feeling won't go away  
Every word I say is true  
This I promise you  
Every word I say is true...  
  
  
Lily knew what had happened. Tears streamed down her face, and Harry began to wail, as if he knew what was going on. Voldemort was walking in the room.  
  
"Give me the boy, Lily."  
  
Lily squeezed Harry tighter, and shook her head.   
  
"Lily, don't make this harder on yourself. Just give me the boy, and you will be allowed to live. Just hand over your son."  
  
Lily looked up and her eyes narrowed at the sight of Voldemort. "Never," she whispered, and spat at the ground where Voldemort's feet were.   
  
"BITCH! You have made a serious mistake, Lily. GIVE ME THE FUCKING BOY!" Voldemort walked closer to Lily, and her anger transformed into fear.  
  
"No," she cried. "Not my boy...not Harry...take me instead!"  
  
"You asked for it, girl!" Voldemort raised his wand. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
This I promise you...  
  
Lily opened her eyes. She screamed.   
  
"James!"  
  
James smiled, and held out a see-though white hand. "It's okay, Lily. Harry is all right."  
  
Lily sighed. "It worked. The tears worked."  
  
James nodded. "Yes, they did." He held Lily's ghost figure, and whispered in her ear, "I love you."  
  
I promise you...  
  
  
  



End file.
